Margaret Fogarty Rudkin (September 14, 1897 - June 1, 1967)

Pepperidge Farm

Rudkin was the founder of Pepperidge Farm in Norwalk, Conn., according to the Hartford Courant. She was inspired to found Pepperidge Farm due to her son's allergy problem that prevented him from eating commercially available bread. The company opened its first modern bakery in Norwalk in 1947, and by 1953 it was producing 77,000 loaves of bread each week. Pepperidge Farm cookies were later added to the line. Even after selling Pepperidge Farm, Rudkin still ran the company until her retirement in 1966. She died in New Haven in 1967.

Rudkin was the founder of Pepperidge Farm in Norwalk, Conn., according to the Hartford Courant. She was inspired to found Pepperidge Farm due to her son's allergy problem that prevented him from eating commercially available bread. The company opened its first modern bakery in Norwalk in 1947, and by 1953 it was producing 77,000 loaves of bread each week. Pepperidge Farm cookies were later added to the line. Even after selling Pepperidge Farm, Rudkin still ran the company until her retirement in 1966. She died in New Haven in 1967. (Pepperidge Farm)

Rudkin was the founder of Pepperidge Farm in Norwalk, Conn., according to the Hartford Courant. She was inspired to found Pepperidge Farm due to her son's allergy problem that prevented him from eating commercially available bread. The company opened its first modern bakery in Norwalk in 1947, and by 1953 it was producing 77,000 loaves of bread each week. Pepperidge Farm cookies were later added to the line. Even after selling Pepperidge Farm, Rudkin still ran the company until her retirement in 1966. She died in New Haven in 1967.